740.00119 Control (Japan)/2–1247
The Acting Secretary of State to the Chargé of the Soviet Union (Tsarapkin)
The Acting Secretary of State presents his compliments to the Chargé d’Affaires ad interim of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics [Page 199] and refers to the Embassy’s note of February 12, 1947,58 in which a reply is requested to the Soviet Government’s communications of July 1, 1946, and August 17, 1946, addressed to the Chairman and American Member of the Far Eastern Commission, regarding the nominations of persons by the Soviet Government for positions on the staff of the Supreme Commander for the Allied Powers in Tokyo.
The Department has been informed that in February, 1946, when General MacArthur invited the Allied Missions in Japan to nominate their nationals for integration into the General Headquarters of the Supreme Commander, he needed competent assistance in many of his Headquarters sections. However, a considerable period of time elapsed before any nominations of Allied personnel were received by the Supreme Commander, and for the sake of the efficient operation of the occupation it was necessary for him to fill all existing vacancies from available American sources.
The Supreme Commander for the Allied Powers has pointed out that during the past year the situation with respect to Allied representation in Tokyo has been greatly improved. Now, all of the Far Eastern Commission member governments are represented in Tokyo either on the Allied Council or by separate Missions.
In the opinion of the Supreme Commander there are great difficulties attendant upon the adoption of a policy of integrating the personnel of other nations into his staff caused by differences in methods, procedures, organization, language, and conditions of service. Therefore in the interests of maintaining an efficient headquarters for the occupation of Japan, the Supreme Commander cannot at the present time accede to the request of the Soviet Government for the assignment to his staff of the men nominated.
- Not printed.↩